Golf club with metallic shaft and hosel



Jan. 17, 1933. w. F. REACH GOLF CLUB WITH METALLIC SHAFT AND HOSEL Filed Jan. l5, 1931 Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEC WILLIAM F. REACH, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A. G. SPALDING 8c f' BROS., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GOLF CLUB WITH I'IIETALLEC SHAFT AND HOSEL Application filed January 13, 1931.

My present invention relates to improvements in golf clubs of the type having metal shafts-and metal hosels.

An object of the invention is to provide a golf club of this character having a metal shaft secured to the metal hosel by means which, while holding the shaft in permanent connection withv the hosel yet permits of the desirable torsional cushioning effect.

The invention aims to provide such a connection by permanently atlixing a torsional cushioning layer or sleeve to the metal shaft as by vulcanizing, and forcing the affixed sleeve into the bore of the hosel with a drive ht, and supplementing the drive t connection between the cushion sleeve and hosel, by extending the upper end of the hosel beyond the sleeve, compressing the extended end over the end of the sleeve and toward but spaced from the shaft and out o-f metal to metal contact'therewith, to prevent separation of the aflixed shaft and sleeve from the hosel.

The invention consists in the features, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing is shown an elevation partly in section of a golf club embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l indicates the club head, which is representative of any type such as a mid-iron, mashie, or a metal club head of the driver type, or any head having a metal hosel. The numeral QMindicates the tubular steel shaft of customary form.

The bore of the hosel la is made sufliciently larger in internal diameter to provide a space between it and the shaft when the latter is inserted, which space is designed to receive a sleeve 3 of cushioning torsional material such as rubber. The shaft end and bore of the hosel may be made cylindrical, the latter being of larger diameter as stated, but this cylindrical feature is not material, as they may be made with a slight taper without departing from the scope of my invention.

Prior to the insertion of the shaft end in 5o the bore of the hosel the sleeve of distortable Serial No. 508,518.

material is end.

The material I prefer to use for the torsional cushioning sleeve is rubber, which is preferably vulcanized on the shaft or otherwise strongly or permanently aiixed thereto, as by a suitable cement, whereafter the end of the latter with its afiixed sleeve is inserted in the bore of the hosel, which is of a size to enal le the shaft end and ar'hxed sleeve to be inserted therein with a driving fit.

The rubber sleeve, it will be observed, does not extend to the upper end of the hosel, but on the contrary, the hosel is long enough, compared to the length of' the sleeve, to extend beyond the upper end of the sleeve and 'thus there is provided projecting or extended portion lb of the hosel which surrounds the shaft.

As shown, the hosel may be tapered exteriorly from about point B to its upper lend A, and the thus thinned upper end readily may be reduced in external and internal diameter by a rolling or die action.

After the shaft with the affixed cushioning sleeve is secured in the hosel with a drive fit, the upper extended end 1.7) of the hosel beyond the end of the sleeve, is subjected to pressure and is thereby caused to contract over the end of the sleeve and toward the sha-ft.

In this reductiony the extended upper end of the hosel does not contact with the shaft, but is spaced therefrom so that there is no metal to metal contact between the hosel and the shaft. The internal diameter of the contracted extension l?) of the hosel is less at the upper end of the sleeve than the external diameter of the upper end of the sleeve, but greater than the internal diameter thereof whereby the annular space i is provided. This reduced end or ferrule l?) will lock the shaft and its axed sleeve within the hosel of the club head, and resist any tendency for the head and shaft to be relatively displaced in a direction lengthwise of the club.

For obtaining the proper degree of torque, reliance is had upon the initial frictional grip or driving t connection of the rubber sleeve upon the interior wall of the hosel.

permanently affixed on the shaft As an example of one relation of the parts, it may be said that the diameter' of the lower or small end of the shaft may be, say, .355. The taper may be .092 per foot. The hosel 5 may be reamed with a straight reamer to ma (e a cylindrical bore. The rubber sleeve is cylindrical exteriorly to fit this bore.

Instead of the above dimensions and formation, I may, for instance, use a shaft of the above dimensions and form, with a rubber sleeve tapered exteriorly to correspond to the taper of the shaft, i. e., .092 per foot, and the bore of the hosel is reamed with a taper reamer so that it tapers towards the lower end in conformity with the taper of the rubber sleeve and shaft.

The above dimensions are given simply as examples and I do not desire to limit the invention to these nor to the particular embodiment shown.

I claim:

1. A golf club comprising a head having a metal hosel in one piece throughout, a metal shaft, a sleeve of torsional, resilient shock abif sorbing lnaterial capable of restoring itself to normal condition after distortion permanently affixed to said shaft and having a driving fit with the wall of the bore of the hosel, said hosel extending above the upper end of n the sleeve, said extended upper end of the hosel being compressed toward the shaft and thereby reduced in internal diameter above the sleeve to retain the sleeve and its atlixed shaft in place in the hosel, said compressed extended end of the hosel surrounding said shaft in spaced relation thereto without metal t0 metal contact with the shaft at any point.

2. In a golf club according to claim l, said reduced internal diameter of the compressed extended end of the hosel, being less at the upper end of the sleeve than the external diameter of the upper end of the sleeve, and Vreater than the internal diameter thereof.

3. A golf club comprising a head having a metal hosel in one piece throughout, a metal shaft. a sleeve of rubber material vulcanized to said shaft and fixed in the bore of said hosel With a driving fit, said hosel extending above the upper end of the rubber sleeve, said extended upper end of the hosel being compressed toward the shaft and thereby reduced in internal diameter above the rubber sleeve to retain the rubber sleeve and its vulcanized shaft in place in the hosel, said compressed extended end of the hosel surrounding and spaced from said shaft without metal to metal contact with the shaft at any point.

4. In a golf club according to claim 3, said reduced internal diameter of the compressed extended end of the hosel, being less at the upper end of the sleeve than the external diameter of the upper end of the sleeve, and greater than the internal diameter'thereof.

5. A golf club-comprising a head having a metallic hosel, said hosel being in one piece throughout, a metal shaft, a sleeve of torsional resilient cushioning material capable of restoring itself to normal condition after distortion permanently ailixed to said shaft and connected to the hosel, said hosel extending above the upper end of the sleeve, said extended upper end of the hosel being compressed toward the shaft and thereby reduced in internal diameter above the sleeve to retain the sleeve and its permanently affixed shaft in place in the hosel, said compressed extended end of the hosel surrounding said shaft in spaced relation thereto withoutl metal to metal contact with the shaft at any point.

6. A golf club according to claim 5 in which said sleeve is of rubber and is vulcanized to the shaft.

7. A golf club comprising a head having a metal hosel, a metal sha-ft, a sleeve of rubber vulcanized to the exterior of said shaft and fixed in the hosel with a driving fit, said hosel extending above the upper end of the rubber sleeve and being compressed at said extended portion towards the shaft and thereby reduced in internal diameter above the rubber sleeve to thereby overlie the upper end of the sleeve. said extended end of the hosel being spacer'. apart from the shaft, the said rubber el; ve forming the sole connection between the shaft and hosel and permitting a yielding action both torsionally and laterally between the hosel and shaft from the point where the contracted upper end of the hosel is spaced apart from the shaft throughout the lower end of the latter.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

IVILLIAM F. REACH. 

